BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN an effort to have better coaches to teach the game of football at the grassroots level, this morning (May 1) the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) opened a four-day training session at Football House.
The training falls under CONCACAF’s ‘D’ Licence Programme, which aims to highlight grassroots programmes in member countries that are under the confederation body’s leadership.
President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) Anthony Johnson stated that the programme is one which fits into the strategic plans of the association, adding that the main aim is to educate local coaches.
This, he said, is expected to raise the level of football in the twin-island Federation, as it would be reflected on the field of play with a more improved national team at all levels of the game.
“The CONCACAF ‘D’ Licence Programme is the first official licencing programme for coaches in the CONCACAF region and will serve as a foundation for the Federation’s Coaching Educational Programme. It is expected that further licences are soon to be developed by CONCACAF and, in this regard, I would want to congratulate President Jeffery Webb,” Johnson explained.
The SKNFA President outlined several key areas upon which training programmes would be focused with the hope of bringing the fundamentals to the training ground.
“The programme aims to educate coaches in areas such as the Principles of Coaching, Adequate Training by Age, Fundamentals of Planning a Training Sessions, Physical Health and Security, and the Development of Community Clubs. This programme was launched in August of 2013 in Mexico, and since then the ‘D’ Licence Coaching Course has been conducted in several CONCACAF countries.”
Johnson congratulated Technical Director Lenny Lake for the service he continues to give to zonal the football body as a Coaching Instructor during several legs of the D Licencing Programming.
He declared that the hosting of the course comes at a time when the association is on a capacity-building drive in order to create opportunities within the football body.
The President threw out the mantle to all coaches to have players adequately prepared from the grassroots level, so that they could attain a high standard when they would have reached the national level.
He said too that this is timely as the football association would soon announce its Coach of the Year, which would be a boost.
He however challenged the participants to take the knowledge with them and impart it to all players so that the standard of local football in the Federation would be raised and communities and supporters would be happy.
Meanwhile, CONCACAF’s Development Officer Jonathan Martinez, who touched on the course, stated that the Grassroots and ‘D’ Licensing Programmes focus on children between the ages of six to 12 years because that is the large block of juniors upon whom most attention should be focused.
He explained that such programmes not only help to drive football, but also youth development and sports in general.
“If you’re not taking the time to have these types of courses and educate your coaches, it suffers and the quality of competition suffers as you continue to climb the ranks,” Martinez opined.
And General Secretary of the Football Association Stanley Jacobs reemphasised the need for a structured grassroots programme, which would see improvements in football.
The coaching programme runs from May 1 to 4 and is being conducted by several CONCACAF certified instructors at Football House.
